The present invention relates generally to systems for releasably securing two straps to one another. More particularly, the invention pertains to a buckle or latching systems for use in belts, straps, or harnesses.
Halters or bridles for animals (e.g., halters or bridles for horses) typically use a standard buckle to interlock with a selected hole of a plurality of holes in a strap of the bridle. The buckle has a post and a frame including a divider which creates two holes in the frame, a first section and a second section. The post is secured to the divider (e.g., an end portion of the post is bent around the divider). The strap is threaded through the first section of the buckle, the post is fitted through the selected hole in the strap, and the strap is threaded on through the second section of the buckle. The post then catches on the frame as the strap is pulled back through the first section, preventing the strap from pulling out of the buckle. If an animal (e.g., a horse) pulls away while the halter or bridle is being attached to the animal, the post will not automatically catch or fit through any of the holes in the strap, and the strap will pull completely out of the buckle (i.e., out of the first section of the buckle). The animal is then completely untethered and, especially in the case of a horse, may try to get away from the handler by moving toward and past (e.g., jumping over) the handler. This frequently results in injuries to people attempting to place a halter/bridle on an animal and to the animal being haltered or bridled. Similar situations occur when, for example, securing a boat to a dock or trailer and waves move the boat.